Somniare
by lil.orph4n.anni3
Summary: Hermione is doubting her own mind when it comes to the validity of reality. She's basically extremely confused. HarryHermione fic. Do they have a connection? Criticisms welcome. most likely going to get fluffy
1. Chapter 1 : Somniare

Authors note: Hello! This is my first fanfic. (..of many I hope because then my whole fanfic 'career' would be a little short eh? hah.) I hope that you all like it. Please review, whether you have good things to say or bad. (If they're bad though, limit it to constructive criticism. please don't flame me:( ..) But yeah.reviewing is good..karma or something. xox Annie

p.s. Keep in mind that thoughts are in italics...just so you don't get confused..

Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. No money is being made on this..ya-da-ya-da… and such. Enjoy.

Without further ado..

_**Somniare**_

Ch. 1: Somniare

My eyes flutter. I just can't seem to open them. They seem to be weighed down by the consequences of my actions. These heavy eyelids render me blind and helpless to the world around me. I am too afraid. _Courage where have you gone?_ The films, the memories,  
which play behind my burdensome eyelids, seem like they _should_ haunt me; that is, if they weren't so blurred. I now wish to go back into my unconscious state. I'm too frightened of the reality that I'll have to face. I slowly pry my eyes open.

_How could this happen? My future was supposed to be bright! My friends and family were supposed to be safe. Why was I dealt this fate? _

They say that all roads lead to Rome. Well, my road certainly curved the wrong direction. Godric's Hollow used to be the town of a certain very cozy home; Back when Harry's mother and father were alive. But what is so alluring about it now? It cannot be this now dilapidated house. And it certainly can't be the massacre of bodies that lie before me; each with a face, very young faces, that I know. Maybe someone with a morbid curiosity would somehow find the road to come here, but I need to get away. Far away.

It is eerie standing here in this battlefield. There is no blood for the most part. Avada Kedavra doesn't leave traces. It looks as if they are all sleeping. The hundreds of bodies are all just sleeping. Maybe that's just what I'll continue to tell myself for the sake of my sanity.  
I push of the body lying on my torso. As it rolls over I realize who it is. _Ron?_ I start to sob uncontrollably and my body shakes. _My Ron._ I stretch my hand out to caress his abnormally pale face and neck. He has no pulse. I hug Ron to me. I kiss him gently. _Will this revive  
him? No._ This kiss reminds me much of our first when he was unconscious down by the lake. Well, I was really just giving him CPR, but what's the point in thinking about it now? It's obviously our last.

"Goodbye Ron," I say. Cold skin loses contact with warm and I release him. Physically and metaphorically, I let go of my Ronald. My head is thumping. This headache is unbearable. I must have hit my head. _What happened?_ I found an open patch of dirt and sat to think. Maybe using the word 'think' is a euphemism for me. I really sat to breakdown. Memories flash when I close my eyes. I must stop the tears from welling. They are slowly blinding me. The world is a blur. _Harry. Oh my God! Where is Harry? What happened?_ The last thing that I remember is him pushing me out of the way of a stray curse. _I need to find him._

I step lightly over bodies almost as if I am afraid to wake them. I tiptoe among the dead. I cannot stop sobbing every now and then at faces I knew that were once contorted in pain. I use my tears to ebb out the faces, to fade the transfixed stares. I wipe away the veil of water I'm hiding behind and gaze up at the rock overlooking the area. Coming over the edge of the rock are tufts of black hair. My heart stops. _Harry._

I dart up the path that leads to him. Corpses litter the trail and I climb over them frantically to get to what I think is Harry. I finally reach the top. I feel my once subsided tears coming back up from their depths. I am the only one standing. This rock overlooking the battle gives the 'perfect' view of the overwhelming sea, the massive _sea of bodies_. D.A. and Order of the Phoenix members lay among Death eaters. The good have been slain alongside the evil. I tear my eyes away from the scene I 'luckily' have a birds-eye-view of and my breath catches once I see two bodies lying before me. One is Voldemort's withered corpse. His snake slits eyes are closed. He looks rather peaceful actually. _Bloody Bastard.__He deserves a worse fate._ I give him a swift kick in anger and look to other body on my right. But this other mangled mound surely is not Harry. At least I hope that it isn't. My shaking hand reaches out to touch the body. I start to turn him over to face me, but he jerks around as if he's trying to fight me, but lacks the strength to do so.

"Hermione," says the small voice of Harry, "are you okay?"

I pull him into a light embrace to hold him close, yet not hurt him further. I choke out while the tears start to swell, "I'm fine."   
He reaches up gingerly to place his hand on my cheek, trying to wipe away my tears and anxiety.  
His other hand is applying pressure to the wound in his side, the blood is gushing; there is no way to stop the river. He quietly takes his hand from my face down to my hand. My heart skips a beat. _What is he doing?_ "Hermione, I can't die today without letting you know the truth," Harry spoke softly, "I…I love you Hermione. I have since the day I met you. I d-didn't want to go without telling you that… I just thought that I would have more time."

My heart ached. _How could I have been so stupid?_ I never acted on my emotions all those months ago. I thought then that I was in love with Ron, that night when Harry tried to kiss me. I thought then that I loved Harry just as a friend. But I as stare at him now, bleeding, dying, somehow smiling, I see that watching him die is affecting me much more than Ron's death. It feels like something is clawing at my insides, and if it's even possible, like I might regurgitate my intestines. My heart feels like it is burning and about to combust. I feel like porcelain and I am cracking.

I stare into those startling green eyes watching the light in them start to dim. He keeps saying my name. It sounds so good to hear. He keeps trying to give me smiles; trying to fool me into thinking that everything is okay. _Does Harry think that this helps?_ I want to save him like he saved me. I need to save him just like I needed to be saved all those years ago from loneliness. I needed him to crack through the, "very intelligent Hermione Granger," facade. This is the first time that I do not have an answer. How ironic. Know it all Hermione Granger does not have an answer. Even thinking this makes me repulsed, and saying it is almost like a type of venom. Being smart is all I  
have. _But now all I wish I had was Harry. _But stop Hermione. Stop thinking all of these thoughts. Stay in this moment with him lying in your arms. Pretend he is not dying. Hermione, deceive your emotions and just smile at him. _Let Harry die happy._

I bring his hand in mine and give it a small peck. I then lean down and kiss his cheek before chastely, but passionately meeting his lips. I pull away and see that I have soaked his face with my tears, while he has soaked the front of my shirt with his blood. Through sobs I manage to whisper, "I love you too, Harry."

He smiles at me weakly, trying flashing me the grin that I've always secretly adored. It seems as if time has slowed down. We stare into each other's eyes as if trying to reach the souls within. I realize that his lips are moving. "What is that, Harry?" I quietly ask. His lips keep moving, but I cannot seem to hear him. I talk only slightly louder, as if I'm still afraid to wake the dead, "Harry?" Suddenly his voice becomes clear, too clear. He is screaming, "Wake up, Hermione!"

---

Hermione wakes up with dried tears caking her face and her voice fails her has her dorm mate, Lavender, tries to soothe her with, "It's all all right, Hermione. It was just nightmare." This does not stop Hermione from shaking. She is so cold, but feels as if the place where Harry's blood was drenching her shirt is the only warmth she has. "I'm o-okay," Hermione replied shakily, "T-Thank you." Lavender gives Hermione one last pat before vacating Hermione's bed to return to her own. _It felt so real_. Hermione thought to herself. She laid herself back down and fixed her twisted covers only to lay for the next few hours before breakfast, wide awake, eyes open as if searching for the answers to her dream around the room.

--

Hermione wasn't the only one in Gryffindor not sleeping soundly though. In the next dormitory over, the boy's dormitory, Harry awoke with the start. He could feel tears saturating his face, but they weren't really there. His scar twinged, but his mind didn't think of Voldemort, they strayed to Hermione. He didn't know why, but he felt as if she needed him. _Crazy feeling._ Harry thought, _She has Ron. _Harry rolled over and thought to himself one last time before the sleepless hours ahead. _The tears felt so real._

_--_

_please review  
The next chapter should be up soon_


	2. Chapter 2: Nero

Authors note: .these are still j.k. rowlings characters and such...  
Also, please review and tell me what you think. :) xox Annie

Ch. 2: Nero

Sun shined brightly in through the windows. The birds were singing. It looked like the perfect day, and all Ron could do was curse at himself for leaving the curtains open around his bed. Harry heard Ron's grunts and decided that it was finally time to stop "sleeping" and go for a walk. Or he at least wanted to do anything besides laying around, twiddling his thumbs, and trying not to think of a certain girl. He didn't feel much like waking Ron for the company. He knew that the bags under his tired looking eyes would give away the restless night he spent. Harry was not up to the badgering. A few seconds later he heard Ron hastily shut his curtains and commence in his snoring.

Harry crept out of bed, put on his trainers, and slinked very quietly down to the common room. He entered into the room to see a familiar bush of brown hair sticking out around the corners of one of the armchairs. The girl who had given him his restless night was lying in the most comfy armchair in the room_. She's probably reading a book, and not being bothered by thoughts of me._ _Why should she think about me anyway? (Let alone while she is in bed. A little questionable.) _Thought Harry jokingly. A small smile crept across his face at his little pun.

He approached Hermione, who was curled up in the armchair, and sat down on the floor in front of expecting a cheerful hello. She did not stir.

Her eyes stared off into oblivion; it was obvious that she was there physically, but definitely not mentally. Harry looked into her deep cinnamon eyes illuminated by firelight and noticed that they were a little bloodshot. _She's been crying. _His heart wrenched a little after acknowledging this. Her eyes darted away from the logs and slowly dying embers to stare directly into Harry's green pools. What seemed like decades, was only seconds in reality. Hermione shook her head, to remove the fog that surrounded her senses. She gave him a weak smile that finally acknowledged to Harry that she knew that he was there. He took her hand in his.

"Hermione," said Harry quietly, "are you okay?"

Hermione felt as if she had just cracked in two. _Why did he have to say that exact same question in the exact same way from the dream? Holding my hand is also not helping at all. _Hermione was having more than a bit of inner turmoil about this, but just smiled at him as if this sufficed as an answer. She bit her lower lip and concentrated hard on not letting any emotion drip down her cheeks. She had to make her smile seem convincing. It worked. Harry just gave Hermione an awkward pat on the shoulder. He looked like he had wanted to hug her, but held back. This was all well and fine for Hermione because all she could think about was kissing him and the blood that was going to smear the front of her blouse. She seemed to be in a surreal state. Harry noticed the far off look in her eyes. He was just about to hold her other hand when Ron came down the stairs yawning loudly. They both came back to reality in the wake of Ron's noisy entrance.

"G'morning!" Ron yelled happily. He rushed over to Hermione and gave her quick kisses covering her face. Harry could swear that he saw Hermione look over at him. The expression on her face showed a sincere apology to him. He even thought that he saw a hint of something else. Harry thought that Hermione's eyes were asking him to save her. _It's just like Ron not to  
notice that something is definitely wrong._ Harry thought as his heart burned watching this display of affection between them, even if it was one sided. Harry was just about to say something to distract Ron from Hermione when Ginny came running down from the girl's dormitory. She squealed at the sight of Harry and jumped into his lap grinning with a huge cheshire smile. "Hi sweetums!" Ginny said as she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and leaned in close to try to snog him into oblivion. Harry "coincidentally" had turned his face to look out the window at the sun streaming in; this earned him a peck on the cheek. Ginny was not put off by this at all though. She proceeded to whisper in Harry's ear how cute she thought it was that he wanted to take it slow. It wasn't whispered quietly enough. Ron gave a smirk, but a small nod of approval at what Ginny had said.

Hermione just rolled her eyes.

--

After Ron and Ginny had left because of their characteristic "Weasley hunger" Harry and Hermione remained sitting and stared off in opposite directions as if not looking at the other erased their existence. Neither of them wished to be the one to say the first word. Hermione knew that Harry wasn't as oblivious as Ron, and was bound to notice that something was wrong with her. _How do I tell Harry? _Hermione thought, _Wait, Why should I? It was only a dream Hermione. He wouldn't care. _Hermione decided to talk first, "Oh, I have so much homework to do! Dear me, I better go and do that right now!" Hermione got up to walk away, but a hand on her wrist stopped her. "Hermione," he said. Tears were starting to well in her eyes. She didn't want to twist  
around and face him. He stopped holding onto her wrist, expecting her to turn around and come and talk about whatever was bothering her. Instead, Hermione decided to keep up her ruse. "Yeah lots to do, lots to do," Hermione barely choked out, "I'll see you later, Harry."  
Harry sat in the common room dumbfounded. Harry asked sincerely, "But Hermione, what's wrong?" "Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies," Hermione said and ran up the stairs to her dormitory.

At least that's what Harry thought Hermione said. For all he knew she could have been talking about umbrellas and sewers. Her sentence was a bit incoherent and stifled by the sobs she was trying to hold back. _I need to help her._ Thought Harry before he went down to breakfast. He was not sure how to aid her right now, but he thought that with some food in his stomach maybe he could think more clearly.

--

Harry sat down at breakfast staring and occasionally nodding at Ron, who kept talking about Merlin knows what. Harry's mind was a little too preoccupied at the moment with thoughts of Hermione. _What was wrong? I wish that I could hold Hermione until her eyes twinkled like they normally did; And until she smiled that beautiful smile. _An image of a happy Hermione played in Harry's brain. Then that happy Hermione turned to Harry to snog him senseless. Harry's face turned pink and his embarrassment was flushing down his cheeks. _How could I even think_ _that! _Ron stopped talking and cocked his head to the side with a very confused look on, "Alright there mate?" Harry just nodded expeditiously. _Everything  
is fine, Ron. I'm just thinking of snogging your girlfriend! _"Yeah, I'm fine. I just realized…that um, I forgot something back in the common room," Harry said shakily. Ginny grabbed his hand. She had a very concerned look on her face, but he felt guilty even looking at her after what he had just thought. Harry ran out of the Great Hall, before any questions could be asked; leaving a pair of confused Weasley's in his wake.

--

_Hermione! This is ridiculous! It was only a dream!_ She kept saying these words to herself repeatedly, hoping that they would sink in. It was her mantra. Her heart still felt like it was cracking. She couldn't get the image of Harry dying in her arms out of her brain. _Why is this  
affecting me so much? _Hermione felt as if she had gone mental. Ron would definitely rub it in her face if she had. If she could tell him that is. _Okay Hermione. Think about this logically. You aren't the top of your class because you can't problem solve. _

"It was just a dream," Hermione said out loud to show the reality of her statement. "Why do I even care so much, it's not like I love Harry as more than my best friend or something," She ended saying this with a nervous giggle.

If the dream showed her anything, it was that subconsciously she definitely felt something for Harry. She could not admit this to herself, but with time maybe it would surface.

_Besides, it's not like Harry would see past this obnoxious bushy brown hair. He likes the more athletic, stunningly beautiful, quidditch types. A.K.A. The 'perfect' type._ Hermione thought despondently. _Why am I even thinking about this? I have Ron. He is devoted, um, he likes to -- eat, and I l-l-lov..I'm in extreme like with him. Who could ask for anything more?_

Hermione tried to smile as if the frown that was about to appear would be giving her secret away. But she was the only one here. She was not a good enough actor to fool herself.

**--**

Ron Weasley was having the best year ever. "I am so happy, Ginny," said Ron to his sister still sitting dumbfounded across the table from him. _Everything is so perfect,_ Ron thought, _I have good friends, a great girlfriend, and everyone is happy. Nothing could possibly ruin this._ -- _Ron looks too happy,_ thought Ginny. Though she didn't have the heart to tell him.

Ginny knew that look in Harry's eyes; It was the look he kept having all the time before they started going out. That look was full of love and it wasn't for her. Ginny was seething.

_This is just like something Ron would do, _thought Ginny, _happily play his violin like Nero did whilst everything he loves comes crashing down around him. _

_--_

please review. Even if you think it's bad. I just need some feedback. Thank you :)

And by the way, for those of you who don't know, Nero was a Roman emperor and while Rome was burning in a nine day fire, he just sat there and "fiddled." So that's what the allusion was to, incase anyone was confused. lol learn something new everyday. So yeah now review kiddies, even if you think the fic is crappy. heh.

I'm writing the next chapter right now and reviews will spur me on to make it come faster...wink wink hehe

A/N/ Edit 5/8/06 : Also, I have been informed by "someone" on hpff (it's a pen name) that the violin wasn't created until about the 16th century. I just want to specify that I'm talking about an "old school" instrument called a lyre. I'm sorry though, I did make assumptions about the word "fiddled" and just took it as a violin when it;s kind of more like harp..actually.. Just imagine that my information is correct. I don't know, I like how it makes the end of this chapter sound. I now call in my rights as an author to err change..the truth. heh. :) sorry for the confusion...if there was any. oo we all learned more today. ;P


	3. Of Confusion and Blibbering Humdingers

A/N: hmmm if I somehow legally change my name to "J.K. Rowling" would I own Harry Potter then :D ...probably not ... drat.

Ch 3: Of Confusion and Blibbering Humdingers

----

For the next few days, Harry noticed that Hermione had been avoiding him. She wasn't just simply not talking to him and making excuses to get away, she also seemed afraid to even be under his gaze. _It's almost as if she knows what I thought about her when I was down in the Great Hall. _Thought Harry fearfully. After Harry had left the Great Hall, he had spent the whole rest of the day shunning all attempts at human contact. He needed to think without being disturbed. _What did that thought mean? _It wasn't an ordinary thought for him. Most of the time he didn't think about snogging his best girl friend. But, maybe that's what Harry wanted. Maybe he wanted Hermione as a _girlfriend,_ with no spaces to be emphasized between the two words.

After battling back and forth for hours in his own mind to determine if his earlier thought was more than just a flippant notion, Harry had come to a decision. He would rather live a life with Hermione in, than have a life without her; Even if she was dating his other best friend Ron and she would basically be seemingly flaunted in front of his eyes each and every day. Harry would never intentionally jeopardize a friendship with Hermione or Ron. He needed them. _They're my best friends, and in all friendships some sacrifices are always made. _Harry thought. He could not bear the thought of losing either of them because he couldn't keep his _feelings_ in check.

Although Harry thought this to be a great conclusion to his pondering, without realizing it, he had finally admitted to himself that he did in fact have feelings for Hermione; feelings that ran far deeper than just everyday friendship. He had opened the metaphoric floodgate.

--

Harry was never that good at hiding his emotions. Now though, he was just hoping that the people around him just got bad at reading him. Harry felt that lately he was doing a pretty good job of concealing what he felt for Hermione. He would only smile whenever she came into a room, start blushing, and wiggle out of Ginny's embrace when Hermione appeared. And Ginny, well, she would huff and stomp away while Harry worried about if he looked relaxed or not in front of Hermione. _I'm so sly. _Thought Harry triumphantly. _No one will ever know. _

Harry gazed into Hermione's eyes while she was speaking and… _was that a blush forming on her cheeks?_ Harry brushed that thought away and spent the next several minutes noticing the different shades of brown in Hermione's frizzy curls. She had never been able to tame them completely, but Harry found this little attribute of her very endearing. Ron started somewhat snuggling into those curls as he caressed her arms. Well, "caress" to Ron was roughly rubbing her arms up and down. Harry realized that he was glaring at Ron a tad bit and composed himself.

For distraction he looked back into Hermione's eyes. Instead of seeing some comfort, he saw fear and confusion. _What is going on?_ Just as Harry quickly finished his thought, he realized what she was shocked about.

Jinxes and hexes whizzed through the air. Harry and Ron leapt to the floor, but Hermione stood to attack. She finally realized that the spells were coming from a few third years having a brawl. Her apprehension washed away. She let her guard down and she smiled to Harry to let him know that it wasn't anything serious. Harry's breath hitched and he felt like he was melting under Hermione's smile and warm brown eyes. _I feel like such a girl. Only women, 'melt'. _Thought Harry.

Just as he went to return a smile, things turned into a sort of slow motion for him. His face slowly moved back into fear mode as he watched stray hexes bury themselves into Hermione. He pushed himself up from lying on the hard floor and tried to catch Hermione before she fell. Harry stretched his arms out toward her limp body, but Ron got there first. Ron was under Hermione with her head resting in his lap. Harry rushed to her side and the crowd formed a circle around the trio.

"Is she okay?" one of the third years from the fight asked sadly.

Many murmurs and whispers broke out and suddenly Ron was on his feet, his face as red as his hair and he was angry. Harry caught Hermione's head right before it would have clunked on the floor. Harry stared up at Ron with shock etched into his face. Harry then recovered helped Hermione's head into his lap.

He subconsciously stroked her hair while trying to calm Ron down to convince him not to hex the younger students. Harry looked down on Hermione's face. _ She must have been hit with __furnunculus_, thought Harry gazing at the boils on the bridge of her nose. She also seemed be stunned. Harry breathed a bit easier seeing that nothing too serious had happened to Hermione. Harry clearly spoke, "ennervate" to try to wake her.

She didn't stir.

Everyone was too focused on Ron screaming at the third years to notice Harry frantically waving his wand in the air yelling ennervate. Harry stupefied Ron so that the third year would stop crying. This also proved to be a good way to get attention back to forgotten Hermione lying on the floor. As everyone looked to see where the stunner came from, some gasped at Hermione still 'asleep' on the ground.

"So why haven't you gotten her up yet Harry?" asked Seamus while laughing at a stunned Ron.

"She won't wake up," Harry yelled.

"You must be doing it wrong then," Seamus stated. "Ennervate!" spoke Seamus clearly. He wore a proud smirk on his face and turned his attention back to Harry before he realized that Hermione still did not wake.

"Ennervate! Ennervate! Ennervate! Ennervate!" screamed Seamus while waving his wand wildly.

"You're going to poke my eye out!" yelped Lavender as she whacked his wand out of his hand.

Seamus glared at her and went to retrieve his wand.

Harry put a cushioning charm on the floor, carefully placed Hermione's head down and ran from the common room. The portrait hole closed with a thud and he couldn't stop himself from hearing the blood beating loudly through his ears.

_I need to get to the hospital wing._

--

Harry's trainers sounded through the halls almost as loudly as his heart banging up against his ribcage. He started down a flight of stairs right before he became blinded by a headache splitting down from his scar to the rest of his being. He screamed in agony as he tightly held his hands to his scar, willing it to cease the pain. The throbbing only intensified as he started to hear a high pitched, cold cackling, echoing through his skull. The amplified ache caused Harry to lose his balance and tumble down the steps.

His feet made frequent trips above his head as his arms scraped and bruised on the way down. Harry finally reached the bottom of the stairs when his head smacked on the linoleum. He wanted to stop the damn laughter, he wanted to cease the throbbing pain, but most of all he wanted and needed to keep going to help Hermione.

_Hermione_ was his last thought mingled in with high laughter before he was submerged in darkness with blood pooling around his head.

_Hermione…_

--

Harry's eyes shot open and he frantically wiped the sweat from his brow. "Her-" he started to yell, before he recognized that he was safely in his own bed and Hermione must be fine in hers. He shook slightly and kept repeating in his mind: _It was just a dream, _over and over until he could pretend that it had finally sunk in.

He softly touched his fingers to his scar and hissed as it stung a bit. It was going to be another sleepless night for Harry James Potter.

For Hermione, the next few days went on without any strange dreams occurring. Hermione would still go into a state of trepidation whenever Harry was near though. _And boy, was he around a lot._ She wasn't sure whether she was trembling under his startling emerald gaze for emotional reasons, or afraid that seeing him would provoke a reoccurrence of her nightmare. All that she did know was: that she truly didn't know. She didn't know why she blushed and her pulse quickened when he flashed his practically trademarked smile. She didn't know why whenever they made eye contact she felt…happy; giddy even. And she would never even try to begin to explain how her heart seemed to be floating, fluttering, and heavy, all at the same time. The somewhat hidden face of apprehension, along with Hermione's shuddering was not lost on Harry, but it obviously was on Ron. He just assumed that she was cold. He turned to Hermione, snaked his arm around her waist, and pressed his body up against her. He rubbed her arms lightly to make friction to warm her.

_Yes Ron, that's what the **dread** on my face means: that I'm cold, _thought Hermione sarcastically before pulling roughly away from his embrace.

Harry's face betrayed him as a flicker a shock, yet joy washed down his face. Hermione eyed Harry suspiciously, thinking that maybe it was a trick of the lights. _The many lights…Wait what!_ This laid back day of hanging out in the common room was proving itself to be anything but that.

Jinxes and hexes whizzed through the air. _What is going.._ Hermione couldn't finish her train of thought before Harry pulled her to the floor and crouched above her as a shield. _He smells so good. _Thought Hermione as she subconsciously leaned back into her 'shield'. Harry's breath hitched, but she didn't notice because of the climbing levels of euphoria that coursed through her.

_Who is doing that?_ _We could maybe stop the hexes being thrown, but we might get hit with a few. We shouldn't head into a battle without a proper strategy. Besides I'm definitely fine right here…I mean because Harry is such a good friend and all I'm glad to be spending time with him...underneath him…I mean..I don't know what I mean... _She was abruptly ripped from her daze. Ron suddenly realized who was throwing the curses. He stood up from the comfy couch, which was now sprouting holes, to yell at the third years. He was tired of hiding from their sporadic squabble.

"Bloody hell guys! What do you think you'r—," said Ron before he was cut short by many stray hexes.

The third years froze. The tension was weighing heavily in the room.

_What has Ron been hit with? _

Everyone crept out of their hiding places to crowd around Ron's still form. He was covered in boils, his teeth were enlarging, his tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth, and on top of all of that; he was stunned. Hermione knelt down next to him, with his head resting in her lap. She ushered the others to move back.

She couldn't help with all of the hexes, but she could at least alleviate him of one. "Ennervate," spoke Hermione clearly, with her wand pointed at Ron.

Ron's eyes fluttered open and he tried to take in why there was a crowd standing around him. His eyes were a little glassed over as he thought; then realization sparked and his eyes flamed. Ron took in the fact that he was laying in Hermione's lap. That ebbed the anger a bit for him, but he decided that it would be much more enjoyable to yell at the third years. He jumped up in a flash and Hermione toppled over a bit on her knees before regaining balance again. Ron opened his mouth and yelled to give the kiddies a piece of his mind, but only incoherent screams issued forth. He went bug eyed. His anger flamed up even higher as he started to get in the third years faces. One of them looked as if she was about to cry.

_I have to do something about this. _Hermione did the first thing she could think of, "Stupefy!" She expected Ron to be stunned; and he most definitely was. The only thing Hermione was confused about was the fact that one other stunner was shot through the air, simultaneous to hers. Everyone in the room giggled a little at this way to shut Ron up. Hermione's eyes searched the room for the culprit; they landed on Harry. Once Harry saw her looking, he averted his gaze and gave a little cough; feigning innocence. She couldn't help but just smile at him giddily.

He returned a smirk with as much enthusiasm. Harry strolled over to her. His chuckling about the situation was like a sweet melody and it put Hermione at ease.

"Well, I'll go get Madame Pomfrey. We'd probably get someone in trouble if Snape saw us dragging or levitating Ron through the hallways," Harry said through everyone's fits of giggles.

--

Most of the crowd slowly returned to their days and many couldn't leave before giving Hermione a nod of approval for her stunning action. No one had ever seen Hermione act even the least bit capricious and seeing it today showed her in a whole new light to them. Many of them still mingled around the common room though, either waiting for more action or doing some homework.

Hermione just closed her eyes and leaned up against the back of the partially tattered couch with Ron's head in her lap. She was beginning to feel content and even smiled truly for the second time that day. She normally wouldn't find humor in this kind of situation; _Well the "normal" Hermione that doesn't have weird dreams and doesn't think 24/7 about Harry Potter wouldn't. _ H

er happiness suddenly subsided. Fear and emptiness sunk into her very being. _What is wrong with me?_

It only took one more second of thought before she somehow was positive about what exactly it was. _Harry._

A loud thud resounded around the common room, hushing all of the inhabitants. Ron's head smacking the floor after being dropped from Hermione's lap caused a lot of puzzled stares. At first Hermione felt that the people around her deserved an explanation because she had interrupted some of their studies, but a new feeling of urgency spread through her.

She gazed around the room wide-eyed. No one else was experiencing these phantom feelings. She fled the common room and rushed through the portrait hole, with the last, "Hermione, what's wrong?" echoing in her ears as the portrait closed.

_I have to find him._

--

Hermione took the same route that she thought that Harry would take to get to the hospital wing.

The hallways were desolate. Hermione felt that the silence was booming in her eardrums.

This only caused her to run faster. _The sooner I find Harry, the sooner I can be at ease, back in the common room studying. There probably isn't even anything wrong. I'm probably just paranoid. _

Hermione ran down the stairs and skipped the last few. She was expecting to just land on level ground, but her feet hit something.. squashy. _Whaaa.. _

She tumbled over and smacked her head on the floor; the floor where her feet were supposed to land. _Ow. _Hermione tenderly rubbed the spot of her head that she slammed on the linoleum.

She closed her eyes, willing them to go back into normal focus once she opened them again. While her eyes remained closed, she tried to take in what was going on around through the spinning of her brain.

The silence still remained booming, maybe even louder now since she smacked her head.

Her hand was resting in.. _What! _Hermione's eyes shot open. _Blood? _ She followed the short trail of blood with her eyes and saw what it led to.

"Harry! Harry! Wake up!" Hermione gasped through sobs.

She shook him lightly and held his head in her lap. His scar was bleeding and the color contrasted greatly with the paling of his face.

Hermione reached inside of her robes, frantically searching for her wand. Her search was fruitless and she thought back to the common room.

Her wand was dropped to the floor right beside Ron's dropped head. Now she was starting to panic even more so.

Hermione's heart raced in her chest and she could hear it thudding loudly in her ears along with the booming silence and her sniffles and sobs.

Then she did the only thing that she could think of: run, yell, and scream until she found help.

"Help! Help, please, somebody!" Hermione shouted.

She felt so utterly helpless.

While running through the halls with her arms flailing she did not believe that she was the same strong witch that she had been back in the common room.

She felt like the little muggle girl that she once was. That little muggle girl was made fun of, pushed in the mud, teased, and couldn't protect herself; let alone save someone else.

Hermione felt weak.

She ran faster and faster through the hallways. Hermione's feet echoed loudly along her path. She built up more speed to grab onto a corner of wall to make a quick turn.

She wasn't sure where she was running. She wasn't sure when her voice had become so hoarse from all the screaming. She also wasn't sure about why people today stay cooped up in their rooms instead of going through the hallways to get to the outdoors.

She built up more speed and swung herself around another corner.

With all of the momentum that she could muster, she ended up swinging herself into an unknown person. Hermione quickly picked herself up off the floor, smoothed out her skirt, and looked to see whom her and Harry's rescuer was.

A veil of blonde hair covered her face, but Hermione could tell that the girl on the floor before her was none other than Luna Lovegood. She pulled herself up from the ground fairly gracefully.

Hermione looked into Luna's eyes that seemed to be staring straight through her, or even into her. Luna then shook her head as if trying to wake herself and her orange radish earrings flung about.

"Why, hello, Hermione! Why were you running so fast? Was a blibbering humdinger on your trail? I think that they've taken up residency in the walls. Gotta watch out for those ones, you do," said Luna speculatively, "There was this one time --," started Luna, but then she was cut off.

"Luna, you have to listen! Harry is a few corridors over, and he's hurt," yelled Hermione sadly, "You need to come with me so that I can use your wand to help him!"

Hermione tugged on Luna's hand urgently and tried to drag her down the hallway to Harry. Hermione didn't know where Luna's wand was and didn't think that it would be right just to do a full body search and then steal the wand to help Harry.

Hermione wasn't positive what exactly she would be able to do with the wand when she finally got it to Harry. The hospital wing was too far and she decided that she could at least see if 'ennervate' would wake him. She couldn't think clearly in this frazzled state.

Luna then answered back dazedly, "Hmmm, maybe."

"What do you mean _maybe_!" screamed Hermione.

"Well, it's just that it doesn't matter much," Luna replied.

"You're wasting time! Come on!" begged Hermione desperately.

"It's just that… you're going to wake up," answered Luna. Hermione breathed, "Whaaa.."

--

And then Hermione awoke, hair matted to her forehead, her eyes wide; searching her surroundings to make sure of its reality. But she could never be too sure. The dream itself seemed real also.

_What's to say that Harry won't get hurt in some other way once I accept that this is "real." And that I am in fact awake?_ _Great I can't even trust my own mind now. _

Hermione pinched herself hard and quietly yelped. _Only a dream. It was only a dream, only a dream. _Her mind kept on continuing this mantra. She wiped the beads of perspiration off of her forehead.

_I just can't stand to see him hurt._

It was going to be another sleepless night for Hermione Jane Granger.

------

A/N: sorry it took so long to get this up! now review, review,review. My motto: Review even if you think it's crap.  
...I need a better motto I just thought of that one on the spur of the moment and _ that _ was obviously crap. hah. But yeah, review if you like it and if you didn't like it, make suggestions about what could make things better. ...that's all for now. :) farewell.  
xox Annie

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	4. Chapter 3: formerly known as Chapter 4

Disclaimer: ...I still don't own Harry Potter...so stop rubbing it in my face J.K.R :shakes fist:. hehe. ;P

Enjoy! xox Annie

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Chapter 3...formerly known as Chapter 4:

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Mornings were never good for Harry or Hermione on their good days, but now, since the occurrences of all these nightmares plaguing their twilight hours, it became far worse. Many glamour charms were used to hide the dark circles under their eyes, but nothing could hide their lethargic steps and dazed gazes. All that their tired brains could do was thank Merlin that it was the weekend so they wouldn't have to use their addled brains for classes.

'The Golden Trio' plus Ginny sat on the couches in the common room with their significant other. Ginny encircled Harry with her arms possessively as if challenging any other girl in the room to even _dare _to glance in his direction. Ron on the other hand was less protective of Hermione. He had his arm thrown casually over her shoulder after she had sat down on the couch. He did not notice the pair of emerald eyes that followed her to her sitting position and lingered. Nor did Ronald notice his sister stomping away to her dormitory after Harry had wiggled out of her protective embrace, which she had relaxed for just a moment.

Harry stared at Hermione unabashed and tried to refrain from drooling while he daydreamed a bit. Hermione stared at Harry's content gaze and scowled inwardly as she felt her face heating up with a blush. Ron noticed her apprehension and lightly rubbed her arms up and down trying to soothe her. _Yes Ron, that's what the **dread **on my face means: that I'm cold, _thought Hermione sarcastically. She then gasped and her eyes became as large as dinner plates in the Great Hall.

_Oh no. _

She felt that she was on the verge of fainting. _That was exactly what I thought in the dream, but surely it is only coincidence. I probably was just reminded of the dream at that moment, _Hermione rationalized to herself.

While Hermione was debating the origin of her own thoughts, Harry was trying to hide a scowl while watching Ron rub Hermione's arms. He had seen Ron do this many times, after all Ron _was _Hermione's boyfriend, but today, the jealously seemed a little too consuming for him to be able to hide it from his face. Harry's glare was pretty blatant to say the least. He remembered once more that Ron was his best mate and stopped his hateful thoughts toward him.

Harry looked into Hermione's eyes, maybe hoping to spot some hidden sign within them to show that she felt the same, but all that he saw was fear, confusion, and flashes of light reflected in her eyes. What's going on? Thought Harry.

_Oh no. _

This is the moment when Harry realized that he recognized those beams of light shooting through the air.

_Oh no! Hermione is going to get hit! _Thought Harry quickly.

Hermione started to stand to fight back, but Harry immediately grabbed her as hexes whizzed past their heads. Harry covered her like a shield as he crouched above her on the floor.  
Harry breathed a quick sigh of relief and his heart started to beat rapidly as Hermione leaned back into him.

Hermione once again lost herself in the euphoria that was seemingly coursing through her body. She remembered this part vividly from her dream, and was quite disappointed when she knew that she had to knock herself out of her daze. _What happened next in the dream? _Hermione thought to herself.

_Ron! _

Hermione quickly crawled out from under Harry and tackled Ron to the floor, pinning him beneath her. Hermione saw a flash of displeasure in Harry's eyes and she immediately crawled off of Ron and squatted beside them both on the floor.

"So what are we going to do? Who is doing that?" questioned Ron apprehensively.  
"Don't worry Ron, it's just third years." Said Harry and Hermione simultaneously before they quickly cut themselves off.

Ron looked back and forth between them, but didn't question how they both knew this.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, shocked, then Harry leaned over and whispered in Hermione's ear. At first she didn't catch what he said because the tickling sensation on her neck from his breath was quite distracting, but after a second she understood that Harry wanted to know: how she knew it was third years.

_Could Hermione have known about this before it happened too? Hell, after this weird premonition thing I've been going through, I'll believe anything. _Thought Harry.

Hermione was just as confused as Harry and instead of answering him, started to busy herself with plans on how to stop the fighting. "Okay guys, stop fighting now!" yelled Hermione with her hands over her head. The few third years kept fighting and didn't hear Hermione's shouts.

"Okay, Harry, Ron, we're going to have to stop them ourselves. It shouldn't be difficult at all. Just stun them on the count of three okay. Harry, you get the one on the right. Ron, get the one on the left. I'll get the one in the middle. Okay, One- Two- THREE!"

They all jumped out from behind the couch that was sprouting holes and yelled 'stupefy'. Three third years fell to the floor and the rest of them were shocked into peace.

Harry and Hermione both breathed a sigh of relief. Neither of their nightmares had come true because they had stopped it. They both slid down against the farthest wall from their housemates lethargically as Ron began to yell at the third years. They hid in the corner from his fury.

Neville ennervated the three students stupefied and soon the kiddies were not just facing Ron's wrath, but the scorn of the most of the people in the Gryfinndor common room. Stabbing glares issued forth at the third years from almost every eye present.

"Well, I suppose that Ron's not going to stop fuming from his ears anytime soon. Do you want to go get a snack from the kitchens with me?" asked Harry, then he added in sing song voice, "We could escape the complaining and backlash of Ron anger,"

After hearing what Harry added, Hermione nodded her head quickly.

"Sure, never a dull day around here. I don't know about you, but fear makes me famished!" Hermione stated with large grin.

Harry jumped up and held out his hand to help Hermione up from the floor. She blushed and averted her gaze for a second, but never let go of his hand. Harry by no means attempted to release her hand either and they both climbed out of the portrait hole hand in hand, blushing and grinning "secretly".  
They were both too lost in their own "hidden" glee to pay mind to a pair of shocked, angry eyes following their every move.

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Sorry for the ridiculously long wait! Please don't kill me! The dreaded writer's block got a hold of me...and that thing that starts with an L...what is that word hmmmmm... life..that's it. bleh I've been _ too _ busy. please forgive me. I give this chapter as a peace offering...? err hehe.  
I hope this chapter is up to par. Review if you like it, review if you hate it, or you can review with questions or anything your heart desires. lol.  
xox Annie


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